LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT - seven steps to moving forward. Get a FREE audio download with this book

So what can you do when you are displeased with your life?

2011-12-28T07:18:00.000-08:00

We have a limited perspective and understanding of our circumstances and God’s purposes for allowing them. His goals for us are greater than our immediate comfort

It is a very easy thing to be displease with your past situations and circumstances. And most people fall into the trap of looking at where they are now, and wishing they could have done things a little differently in the past. What we all must understand is that we are where we are now, and there is nothing we can do to change what has already happened. The key is to see our past as something positive and look forward to a better future. Each past situation brings unique experiences that can draw lessons from, whether they were good or bad experiences. This doesn't mean that you can't reflect on what has already happened; you shouldn't dwell on past decisions or "what ifs" and instead learn from them and carve a life you can be happy about.

Carl Mathis author of Life is what You Make it – seven Steps to Moving Forward

APOOO BookClub

2011-06-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

By
Teresa Beasley (Indianapolis,IN)

This review is from: Life Is What You Make It (Perfect Paperback)
In Life Is What You Make It by Carl Mathis, readers will learn seven steps to move forward in life after experiencing a loss. Carl Mathis shares his story with readers while providing the tools he used to overcome his loss, hurt, and pain. The author's story leads into how to accept your situation, take responsibility then condition your mind to make the right decisions, build a team, believe, and define the new normal.

After reading Life Is What You Make It, I have discovered that after a loss or tragedy that a person can become victorious by reclaiming their life. The author is living proof of this and of the seven steps within this book. I recommend this inspirational and motivational book to others.

This book was provided by the author for review purposes.

Teresa Beasley
APOOO BookClub

Diary of a Struggling Man

2011-05-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

Let me take you back to 1984. It was my sister’s friend’s wedding; I was a young male who was fresh from the United States Army Basic Training. My sister, Heseland, introduced me to one of her friends named Dale. Dale was attending Boys and Girls Height School in Brooklyn, New York. From that moment on, we were a match made in Heaven. We were together ever since. We had our share of ups and downs, but we stuck it out. We had two boys, and then we moved to Miami, Florida, in 1995. Then we had one more boy. We were a family of five, and everything was okay for a while. We were active in the church, and I was striving to be a minister. But in 1994, Dale was diagnosed with lupus. Many doctors visits, hospital attendance, and medical bills began to take effect. After a while, there was no trace of the infirmity in her body. I credit that to the prayers of the righteous, the late Harriet Jones and the members of Holy Ghost Tabernacle Church, and also our family and friends who labored in prayer.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16 (nlt)

After some time passed, Dale was then diagnosed with a spinal virus called HTLV1—Tropical Plastic Periphrastic. This virus attacks the spine and the lower part of the body, which sometimes travels to the respiratory system. From that point on, things started to decrease dramatically. One of the first signs was that she started to drag her feet when she walked. In 1991, when the former President Bill Clinton came to the University of Miami to campaign, Dale and I, along with our oldest boy, Jaron, went to see the President. When we were leaving the campaign site, because Dale could not lift her feet too high, she tripped on a crack on the sidewalk and fell, busting her lips and teeth. From that day on, life was a downward motion.

Then she began to lose her ability to walk. She had to use a walking cane, and before you knew it, she had to use a wheel chair. When she had no ability to walk at all, she was diagnosed as permanently disabled. She began to lose her ability to write, and then she had difficulty seeing, breathing and eating. But with the love that I had for my wife, there was no doubt that I was going to be by her side to the end. This went on for approximately ten years. There were many hospital visits, surgeries, emergencies, etc. I remember the tubes that were put down her throat and in her side to feed her and help her breathe. Yes, there were times when I was tired and frustrated. Yes, only God knows. It was a long challenging road. I can personally tell you, whether you believe in God or not, a higher power than man must have been looking over me because there is no way I could have handled all that. I know it was God holding me and guiding me through this trial.

Imagine trying to take care of a disabled person, without much help from insurance for medical bills, raising three growing boys, paying for the regular household bills and the needs concerning the necessity of life, trying to hold down two jobs to keep my family above water, and trying to keep up with the boys schooling.

I was a shy and quiet person, but there were many, many times I wished and hoped and prayed that somebody would come by to offer some physical help. I am not insinuating that no one helped us, but the burden, the task and all the things that needed to be done were so much that we needed much more than basic help.

On the morning of December 15, 2005, I was getting ready to leave work from doing a graveyard shift when I got a phone call from one of my sons, informing me that Dale had passed away in her sleep. I began to scream as a if piece of my flesh had been ripped from my body. When you get a phone call saying that your wife or your husband is no more, what would be your reaction? I could not handle the fact that I would be without someone to talk to and have funny conversations with at night. From that moment on, I was like an empty vessel.

Here I was ordained as an elder in the church, but hurting on the inside like a little baby that lost its first love. I preached and ministered to people, yet hurt on the inside. I went to work and supervised people, yet hurt on the inside. I still had to do the necessities to provide for my three boys, who were growing day by day. I would ask myself, “When will it end? When will I be able to say the hurting is over and my vessel has some substance inside it?”

I was searching for anything or anybody to fulfill my hunger for fulfillment. I looked good on the outside, but inside I was like dried up bones. I had no one to talk to.
I was so lonely that I would find myself wanting to go to work to keep from thinking of crazy things. I began to pray that God would give me a companion, someone just to talk to and keep a conversation with. But it never happened. So finally I realized that no one was coming, and that my life is what I make it.

Carl Mathis: author of Life is what you make it – seven steps to moving forward
Go here now http://www.carlmathis.com

Overcoming the grieving process

2011-05-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Introduction

In 2005, my life took a turn in a direction that I was
not expecting. Something occurred that changed the
course of my life in a dramatic way; as a result, I had to
make some adjustments to put my life back together.

Whenever you encounter a dramatic change in
your life unexpectedly, your life becomes difficult to
deal with. Sometimes you find yourself depending on
another to fill that gap.

There was a time when I was challenged with a situation
in my life, which caused me to depend
on someone to come to my rescue. I waited for a long
time hoping someone would come assist me with my
needs. I found out that life is what you make it, and that
another cannot make your life for you.

The life that you inherit is the result of your own
action. Although God will sometimes give you the
direction and even provide the means to accomplish a
certain thing, in the end you are the only one that could
make it come into reality.

So if you are in a similar situation and find yourself
wondering why no one is coming to your rescue, if you
want to do something about it, this book is for you.

LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT - SEVEN STEPS TO MOVING FORWARD
Go here now to purchase or for more information http://www.carlmathis.com

Literary Gumbo - interview author of Life is what you make it (Carl Mathis)

2011-05-19T06:32:00.000-07:00

About the Author

Christian author, preacher and motivational speaker Carl Mathis began his work for the ministry in 2005 after a life-altering experience. At that time, the death of Mathis’ wife was the reason behind the dramatic turn of events that soon led him to his life’s purpose and calling.

Dealing with the loss of his wife and raising three children as a single father while struggling to make ends meet, Mathis had to contend with unbearable feelings of hopelessness and despair. It was during those moments that Mathis cried out for a strategy to overcome his situation. This experience soon pushed him to channel is grief and use its transforming power to change his own life and others as well.

Immediately after getting back on track, Mathis was moved to act on his burning desire to encourage and motivate people, especially those who have shared the same fate as him. It was then Mathis saw the need to reach out to the distressed and the depressed.
In 2010, he came out with his debut work entitled Life is What You Make It – seven steps to moving forward, a 104 page inspirational book drawn from his own personal life experiences and challenges. Filled with messages on how to deal with sorrow and ultimately survive the process of moving on, the book provides readers with the much-needed encouragement and motivation in order to strive better.

A man after God’s own heart, Mathis continues his passion today of reaching out to people using his God-given abilities, particularly speaking and writing, and becoming a blessing to others in return.

Tell us an experience about your writing process.
I have learned that writing is a craft in it self, what I am saying is not every one is cut out to be a writer. The process is long and tedious with a creative mind set. When I wrote Life is what you make it: seven steps to moving forward and submitted it to my publisher, they loved the concept, but as requested I changed some parts. In fact I had to rewrite about 80% of the manuscript to come to the company’s liking. So this was an experience in it self. If I wasn’t committed to fulfilling the project I started, things just may have been a little different, but I was determined and focus on pursuing this craft.

Is there anything you have learned and maybe wish you had known?
Because the craft of writing found me in such an unusual way, I had the liberty of finding out a few things I wish I had known prior to tackling this craft. I must say that it was not in my plans to become a writer, of even thought about writing a book, it’s seems like it just crept up on me out of nowhere. While sitting at my desk putting down some information, one thing leads to the next and before I knew it a manuscript was established. However, there were a few missing components, such as having a platform and a brand. In other words I need some credibility to what I am doing, so I had to back track and build a platform.

Are there any myths you have discovered about being a writer?
I have not found any myth about being a writer; however, it was revealed to me how dedicated and focus you must be to become a good writer. One must continued to write until it becomes a daily routine.

Please share your experiences with publication.
My experience with publication has been challenge and a great learning experience at the same time. I found out that publication can get you on some good avenues, but getting the word out for your book/project has to be your responsibility. Publishers have a certain way they want their manuscript to be formatted and laid out. But at the same time it’s not an easy thing to get a publisher to accept your work, they look for an individual who has a track record and could potentially sell a good amount of books. So being not so well known as some of the more established authors made it was a little challenging for me to get a publisher.

What is your pattern for timely effective writing?
Writing is a craft in a class by itself. However, just as any project or job that needs to be completed in a timely manner, it needs a well laid out plan.
One of the first things to be considered is resource into the topic and the content about what you’re writing about. Always remember that content is imperative and adds value and ingredients to your credibility, which would transcend to people drawing close to your work. I believe that this should be done before you attempt to write your manuscript.

You then want to create an outline to follow. This will help prevent you from writers block or quieting at the half way point, because you now know what you have to do to complete what you have started. With the resource and the outline done first, you have a good chance at a well formatted manuscript. The outline should consist of a Headline, an Introduction, a Body, a Conclusion and in some cases, a little information about the author.

Headline – This should be most appealing as possible because readers read this first then decide if he or she will continue reading the rest of the manuscript. In most cases they will just take a glance at the cove and scan over the headline, and if it’s not appealing they will put it down and move on.
Introduction – many has made the mistake in putting too much into the introduction, this will give way for the reader to lose interest in continuing at all. They will feel like they have already figured out the end result. Just introduce the problem you will be discussing in your manuscript or write a few paragraphs some relevant experience while introducing the plot.

Body – This is where you discuss all the solutions to the problem you expressed in the Introduction. You want to break up each point into separate paragraphs; this will give the reader a good understanding of what he/she is reading. A good idea is to create a sub-heading for each point to allow an easy read. Most people scan before reading, so sub-headings work in your favor.

Conclusion - this is where you summarize your story and pressure a call for action. Make sure there is a solution to the problem you explained in the body. Be direct in leading the readers, make sure they will fully understand what it is that needs to be understood.

Some things to keep in mind:
Write with passion and inspiration – in other words, write like you would explain something to your friend. Don’t worry too much about correcting mistakes or how it sounds. As long as the flow of thoughts is flowing, keep writing, you never want to break the train of thoughts. You can always correct them later. When you are finish writing, take a break, then come back and take a fresh look at what you have written, and make your adjustments. Make sure it flows well by clearly identifying the problem, providing a solution and concluding with an action step or steps. It’s a good idea to get someone else to read it over. Often they will find the mistakes that you missed. One of the most important things is going over your manuscript several times. This will help you catch the little things you might normally over look.

About the Book
Carl Mathis wasn’t prepared for the devastation the loss of his wife would bring to his life. He soon found himself grieving, struggling to make ends meet, and trying to raise his sons, who were also dealing with personal turmoil from the loss of their mother. After months of waiting for someone to rescue him, Carl had to face the inevitable truth–no one was coming. He realized that if he wanted out of the mess his life was becoming, he was going to have to do it himself.

Join new author Carl Mathis in this motivational story about one man’s struggle to put his life back together. Life Is What You Make It will teach you how to overcome any crippling situation you find yourself in and stimulate personal and spiritual growth by accepting the situation, taking responsibility, conditioning your mind, choosing to make right decisions, building a team, believing, and defining the new normal.

Purchase the Book Online at:
http://www.Amazon.com
http://www.BarnesandNoble.com
http://www.BooksaMillion.com
Visit the author at http://www.CarlMathis.com

Sormag's Blog: interview of Life is what you make make it

2011-05-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

Life is What You Make It Blog Tour
Posted by LaShaunda Labels: BLOG TOUR

Tell us about Life is what you make it – seven steps to moving forward.

“Carl Mathis wasn't prepared for the devastation the loss of his wife would bring to his life. He soon found himself grieving, struggling to make ends meet, and trying to raise his sons, who were also dealing with personal turmoil from the loss of their mother. After months of waiting for someone to rescue him, Carl had to face the inevitable truth--no one was coming. He realized that if he wanted out of the mess his life was becoming, he was going to have to do it himself. Join new author Carl Mathis in this motivational story about one man's struggle to put his life back together. Life Is What You Make It will teach you how to overcome any crippling situation you find yourself in and stimulate personal and spiritual growth by accepting the situation, taking responsibility, conditioning your mind, choosing to make right decisions, building a team, believing, and defining the new normal.”

How did you come up with ideas for this book?

At the grieving period of my life when I lost my wife, I was looking for someone to come to my rescue, but help didn’t come as I hope it would. After waiting and seeing my life slowing going down, I decided that no one is coming, so life ended up what I made it out to be. The idea for this book came to me in an unusual way. I was sitting at the computer one day just putting some thoughts down about my past experience of what I went through, then one thing lead to next, and this book was established.

Who are your main character(s)?

The main characters in the book are Carl Mathis, and his three sons Jaron, Carl JR and Torrey Mathis.

• Did you have a favorite character(s)? Who and why? No
• Did you have to do quite a bit of research for this novel?

I did some, but because this book was about my experience, it was like researching me.

What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading Life is what you make it: seven steps to moving forward?

I hope the readers read the book with an open mind and be ready for changes! Great things are in store for every life that yearns for the Truth, and when you embrace it, the way you see life will completely change for the better. Remember: it's all up to you. One can accomplish anything he/she puts their mind to.
Okay, a not-so-fun question. How important are reviews to you as a writer?Reviews are very important, because this tells me what at lease some of the readers are saying, plus it gives value and credibility to your work.

About the Book

Carl Mathis wasn’t prepared for the devastation the loss of his wife would bring to his life. He soon found himself grieving, struggling to make ends meet, and trying to raise his sons, who were also dealing with personal turmoil from the loss of their mother. After months of waiting for someone to rescue him, Carl had to face the inevitable truth–no one was coming. He realized that if he wanted out of the mess his life was becoming, he was going to have to do it himself.

Join new author Carl Mathis in this motivational story about one man’s struggle to put his life back together. Life Is What You Make It will teach you how to overcome any crippling situation you find yourself in and stimulate personal and spiritual growth by accepting the situation, taking responsibility, conditioning your mind, choosing to make right decisions, building a team, believing, and defining the new normal.

Purchase the Book Online at:

http://www.amazon.com/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

http://www.booksamillion.com/

Visit the author at http://www.carlmathis.com/

Visit the blog tour schedule at http://bit.ly/LifeisWhatYouMakeIt

All the Buzz Reviews (Life is what you make it)

2011-05-17T21:36:00.000-07:00

• Tell us about yourself.
Hi, my name is Carl Mathis; Author of Life is what you make it: seven steps to moving forward. I’ve dedicated my life to helping people achieve their dreams through the word of GOD. When I lost my wife to death in December of 2005, I was faced with the challenges of raising three boys as a single parent, and at the same time coping with the loss of my mate.

During this time, I dealt with many emotions, how can I be a father and mother to my children, how do I deal with the grief of losing my wife. I was faced with many difficulties.

There were times when life brought enjoyment, and other times when life was so challenging that I wanted to give up and quit. However, during such difficult and unbearable moments, I make up my mind to do something about it. I was not going to let this unfortunate situation take over me. I decided to use this terrible and devastating situation as a platform to rebuild my life( I realized that life is what you make it).

I spent many nights crying out to GOD for a strategy to overcome my situation. The strategy I got was, while I am going through my difficulties, share it with others, help them to overcome and at the same time I would overcome. That’s exactly what I did and by doing so, I am so blessed because I am in a much better place than I was years ago.

Now I am on the right path to success. I now have a burning desire to encourage and motivate people and let them know that life is whatever they make it.

I pursue diligently because I see that many people have struggled, and their quality of life has been diminished. It coerces them to give up and throw in the towel. Someone needs to reach out to these people and let them know that they should hold on to their dreams, that they can accomplish anything they put their mind to. I hope to encourage people through my books and teach them how to acquire instruction, motivation and encouragement when striving for their dreams.

• What type of jobs or careers have you worked in the past?
I am a carpenter/handyman by trade. I worked in that field for many years; I also spend three years as an Army National Guard. I worked in the surveillance industry for about seven years as a Surveillance Supervisor for a Casino in Miami Fl.

• Who are your favorite authors?
Although I read varieties of authors, I recently enjoyed books by Max Lucado and TD Jakes, but there are many other good authors I also read.

• What are your favorite books?
Of course, The Bible is the most important book that I will ever have. For any other book, as long as it combines a good plot with a positive or Godly perspective, It will have my attention.

• When did you begin to realize you wanted to write?
I must say that the craft of writing found me in an unusual way; Just the thought of putting information on paper to help someone was fascinating to me. While in the process of overcoming and moving forward from my grieving period, it lead me to put in writing how I was able to triumph over such an obstacle. After a while I began to realize that this is a God giving gift. And I should use it to my advantage. That is when I realized that I wanted to continue writing.

• Tell us about your journey to publication.
My journey to publication was like driving in the middle of rush hour in NYC. What I am saying is, being a new comer on the author seen; I was not given any consideration. There was rejection after rejection from agents and publishers, after a while Tate Publishing accepted my manuscript, and made me rewrite about 75% of the book before they published it.

• Are you a full-time writer? If so, describe your day?
I would not say I am a full time writer, but I am pretty close to it, because I make sure I write every day.
Carl Mathis author of life is what you make it – seven steps to moving forward
Go here now http://www.carlmathis.com for more

Tragedy to Triumph

2011-05-04T08:06:00.000-07:00

In 2005, my life took a turn in a direction that I was not expecting. Something occurred that changed the course of my life in a dramatic way; as a result, I had to
make some adjustments to put my life back together.

Whenever you encounter a dramatic change in your life unexpectedly, your life becomes difficult to deal with. Sometimes you find yourself depending on another to fill that gap.

There was a time when I was challenged with a situation in my life, which caused me to depend on someone to come to my rescue. I waited for a long time hoping someone would come assist me with my needs. I found out that life is what you make it, and that another cannot make your life for you.

The life that you inherit is the result of your own action. Although God will sometimes give you the direction and even provide the means to accomplish a
certain thing, in the end you are the only one that could make it come into reality.

So if you are in a similar situation and find yourself wondering why no one is coming to your rescue, if you want to do something about it, this book is for you.

For more from Carl got to http://www.carlmathis.com

UBAWA's Book Club Book of the Month

2011-04-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

South Florida, and the rest of the world, i will be traveling with the awesome play by Melvin Dawson, The Soul Of a Black Woman, get your tickets. (Book of the Month) "Life is what you make it" will be available.

Carl Mathis
Life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward

Carl Mathis wasn't prepared for the devastation the loss of his wife would bring to his life. He soon found himself grieving, struggling to make ends meet, and trying to raise his sons, who were also dealing with personal turmoil from the loss of their mother. After months of waiting for someone to rescue him, Carl had to face the inevitable truth--no one was coming. He realized that if he wanted out of the mess his life was becoming, he was going to have to do it himself. Join new author Carl Mathis in this motivational story about one man's struggle to put his life back together. Life Is What You Make It will teach you how to overcome any crippling situation you find yourself in and stimulate personal and spiritual growth by accepting the situation, taking responsibility, conditioning your mind, choosing to make right decisions, building a team, believing, and defining the new normal.

Available at Amazon and where books are sold
or go to http://www.carlmathis.com

Not Trying In LIfe Is A No, No

2011-04-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

It took me one sitting to read Carl Mathis' book LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT, and not just because it is an easy read. The main reason is because it was hard to stop.

The book uses Biblical principles to help us look at where we are in life, how we approach life and its challenges and exactly what do we expect of each day that we are given.

Carl also points out something that many of us have come to know in life either during our own experiences or those that we love: one of the main reasons why people don't try to do better is because they fear failure. What a crippling decision that is! How can you cheat yourself (and by extension others around you) of what could be just because you are afraid of what may or may not happen.

The author invites us to have faith not only in ourselves for something greater than ourselves. By doing this, we will not fear what we don't know. Instead we will embrace the unknown and make the most out of everyday.

LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT is one that you should add to your reading list. In fact, you should get two copies: One to loan to those who might benefit from its lessons, and the other to reflect on from time to time yourself.

For more from Carl go to http://www.carlmathis.com

Vernita Sherman.....This is an excellent book full of life lessons that keeps your attention from beginning to end.

2011-04-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent book full of life lessons that keeps your attention from beginning to end. Carl Mathis uses his own personal story as a testimony of how you will overcome your struggles when you have God on your side. This book is short and sweet; it doesn't drag on, and it is an easy read. If you have lost all hope because of your current situation, or you need a little encouragement and inspiration to keep moving forward, get this book - it is truly a blessing to all who read it!

Carl Mathis
Author of Life is what you make - seven steps to moving forward
Website http://www.carlmathis.com

"I was very impressed - Life is What You Make It"

2011-04-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of reading Rev. Carl Mathis book titled. "Life is What You Make It" I was very impressed at his strong will and ability to pick up the pieces that had seem to have fallen apart after losing the love of his life. It gave me such a great respect for him as a man of God to read how he stepped in to his son's lives in order to put them back on track, although the struggle seemed a bit hard at times. But with God's strength and mercy his family are now focused on the most important thing in life, and that is Life IS what YOU make it! Thank you Mr. Mathis for sharing your experience with me and all other readers that have had the opportunity to read about your journey. May God continue to keep you and your family working toward His will and purpose for your lives. Be Blessed!

Evangelist Betty A. Carr.

Life Is What You Make It (Seven Steps to Moving Forward) by Pat Hunter

2011-03-30T22:38:00.000-07:00

The book Life is What You Make It, written by Author Carl Mathis,” has inspired me on so many levels. This book has challenged me to assess situations in my life from a whole different level. There are so many people in life that probably would never experience the events that tragically took place in Carl Mathis’s past, but there are many who have already and didn’t understand how to let go and move on with their lives. I would like to challenge everyone who are reading this article to purchase this book,

“Life Is What You Make It,” this book will not only instruct you how to let go of the pain of adversity, tragic, and pain of life situations but will encourage and motivate each individual on how to successfully achieve his or her goals in life. I really enjoyed this book from introduction to conclusion. It’s chronological style, grammar structure, timing, sequence, attitude; clarity was very professionally planned and written. If interested, book can be purchased on www.carlmathis.com.

Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of :Life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward.
For more from Carl Go to http://www.carlmathis.com

Life is What You Make it, Opened the door for me to Begin Again. By Nicole Elmore

2011-03-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

Life Is What you Make it, I Now say this everyday~ Author Carl Mathis touch my deep hurting soul with his words, this book was ordained to process at such a time as this. I was so broken when I started to reach Life Is What you Make it, but as I continue to read word by word, it felt as though the words were leaping into my spirit.I got healing from Life is What you Make it, Author Mathis, in his writing gave me hope, & Learning how to begin again.. Oh Yes I felt Beginning again was the hardest thing to do, but I now know its the Best thing.." Beginning again" Each day I remind myself that none is going to come and rescue me, so I have to shake myself and run into the Presence of God... Life is What You Make it, Opened the door for me to Begin Again.

" Life Is What You Make It~~~~~~ Nicole Elmore

Author writes second book to inspire others: By Gary Alan Ruse

2011-03-02T20:56:00.000-08:00

Author writes second book to inspire others: By Gary Alan Ruse

CARL MATHIS

Cutler Bay resident Carl Mathis, a minister and elder at Holy Ghost Tabernacle Ministries in Goulds, brought out his first book in March of last year after overcoming a personal tragedy. That book was Life Is What You Make It: Build a Better Life for You and Your Family.

“When I lost my wife in December of 2005, my life took a dramatic turn for the worse,” Mathis said. “Trying to raise three boys while grieving was not an easy task, so in a sense, I could sympathize with someone who may need to know that if I could tread the path of difficulty and come out victorious, they could also.”

His new book, Life Is What You Make It: Seven Steps to Moving Forward, will be published on Aug. 17 by Tate Publishing. The 104-page paperback will be available through Amazon.com and other booksellers.

“As I look around I see so many people who have lost a loved one or somebody who is close to them, and they are having such a difficult time coping with the separation that I felt compelled to share my story in an attempt to help someone else to overcome and move forward as I did.”

Although drawn from the challenges of his personal sorrow and fears, Mathis’s debut volume was primarily an inspirational book telling people not to give up on their dreams. The new book deals more with the grief process and how to survive it and prevail.

“My first book was generally geared to motivate anyone who needs encouragement and motivation in such a time as this,” Mathis said. “However, although everyone could benefit from reading this new book, the primary theme is to share how I was able to lift the burden and stressful thoughts and move on with my life. I am hoping that my story and how I did it could help someone in a similar situation.”

Mathis also writes feature stories for his church’s monthly newsletter, The Royal Chronicle; teaches bible classes, and spends time volunteering with Shepherd’s Care, an outreach program designed to help those in need and the homeless. Mathis also is furthering his theological studies through the National Alliance of Progressive Churches.

The book’s publisher describes Life Is What You Make It as a book that “will teach you how to overcome any crippling situation you find yourself in and stimulate personal and spiritual growth by accepting the situation, taking responsibility, conditioning your mind, choosing to make right decisions, building a team, believing, and defining the new normal.”

When you purchase the book you also get a free audio download of the book.

For more information about the book, visit Mathis’ website at www.carlmathis.com or www.Amazon.com.

Learning how to Move Forward by Letting Go

2011-02-24T21:34:00.000-08:00

Let’s face it: we all have negative or bad experiences n the past that we just cannot seem to get past. There are just certain things, that when remembered, always cause anxiety and anger to build up inside us. And we have to admit that sometimes we just don’t want to let go of these negative emotions and memories. Why? Do we want to feel like we’re the victim? Do we need to even the score before we let go?
The truth is, holding on to negative emotions, feelings, thoughts, or experiences drag us down. They drag us down mentally, emotionally, and sometimes, even physically. This mental and emotional distress doesn’t do us any good in life and can affect the way we do things or relate with other people. It can affect how we see our jobs, how we treat our friends, families, and new people who come into our lives. Holding on to past grudges and negativity is much like hiking. Picking up useless items along the way add to the weight you’re carrying and slow you down from reaching the top. That is why it is so important for us to let go of all the negativity, bad experiences, and depression that may have happened in the past, and eventually move forward.
So how does one move forward from all the past negativity? How can you let go and forget about all the difficult, negative experiences? The key in doing so is to train and condition your mind to focus on other things. Focus the goals you have, the things you want to achieve, and the positive things around you. Negative thoughts and feelings may be affecting you in ways you don’t even notice. Whenever you start to feel anger or depression that stems from past events, ask yourself: is this helping my current situation? Is this helping me move forward and achieve my goals? Am I gaining anything by thinking about this? Once you realize that you answer no to all these questions, tell yourself that you are letting go. Breathe and let go.
There is something so beautiful about the power or emotional healing and letting go of the past. Once you’ve trained your mind to focus only the good things and never to dwell on the bad, your outlook and attitude towards life will change – for the better. You’ll relate better to other people, have renewed energy and zest for life, and work with a passion and newfound determination. You’ll start to appreciate the great things you have in your life, and what else it has to offer. You’ll be happy and content, wherever you may be, because inside, you are at peace. Such an outlook and personality will lead you to achieve your goals and accomplish things better than before.

Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of "Life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward.
For more info go to http://www.carlmathis.com

What causes unnecessary worries and anxieties?

2011-01-21T23:42:00.000-08:00

I think that this day and age calls for lifestyles that are busy, fast-paced and absolutely hectic. As a result, there seems to be not enough quality time being spent. For example, most people wake up; grab a cup of coffee on your way out the door. You might sit down and have something only it you have children or a spouse, but nine out of ten times so probably don’t finish your breakfast.

You then get on the freeway rushing trying to bet the traffic, it you get traffic then that’s another forty five to an hour. You get to work and the only time you get a break is at lunch time, but you have to hurry up and get back to work before the boss open his/her mouth. You might get a fifteen minutes break now and then, but what is fifteen these days. Fifteen minutes in this time is like a couple of minutes.

At the end of your work day, you have to go through the same procedure with the traffic to get home. If you have children, that’s a second job by it self. By the time you get the house in order, you are so tired, that it is almost unbearable. Then after such unrest less night of sleep, you wake up and have to do it all over again.

This procedure goes on day after day, while missing out on what is important.

We tend to get lost in the flurry of things, and sometimes the most important things are neglected. Things like a normal conversation between you and the children, or your spouse, your health, laughing and having fun now and then. Study shows that things like these will not just make you feel better but put you in a position to have a long life span.

And the most important thing of it all is your spiritual time where you and God communicate. Whether you go in your closet, bathroom, sit in you vehicle, there should be some mediation time. In other words you must prayer.

When we miss out on what really matters, this creates a vacuum in our lives that cannot be filled. We end up searching for the missing piece in all the wrong places, and this can cause all this unexplained frustration in living the unfulfilled life, which causes unnecessary worries and anxieties.

Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of life is what you make it – seven steps to moving forward.
To get more insight go to http://www.carlmathis.com

TAKING BACK CONTROL

2011-01-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

Look at life as a runner, running a long distance race, or a marathon or a cross-country race. The mind of a cross-country runner is focused on finishing that race, as the runner needs to pace himself and control the speed in which he travels. The runner needs self-discipline in all that he does in order to finish that race. To defeat the out of control spirit, you need self-discipline. The saying goes like this, life race is not for the swift, but for who could endure to the end. So please do not let this out of control spirit defeat you.

Life is not a sprint race, or a hop skip and a jump. Life is like the seasons. Each season gives you a different occurrence. The winter would give you snow and cold. The summer would give you sun and rain. The spring gives you a mild and a gentle breeze, while the fall deals mostly with the leaves on the trees. There is one thing that all the seasons have in common; it is guaranteed to come around repeatedly until the end of time. That is how life is. Therefore, don’t get bent out of shape about a little obstacle that occurred in your life. Out of control is only for a time. Your season will come around again. When it does, remember this, life is what you make it.

Life Is What You Make It : A Self-Help Book Like No Other

2010-12-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever found yourself in a rut? A situation so deep and hard to get past that it seemed as if your life had stopped right then and there? Have you felt as if nothing was inspiring you anymore?

Being in a, so to say, depressed and anxious point in yourself is no joke and getting past such feelings of sadness isn’t easy. Most people go through dealing with their problems by relying on others for help and support. While other people are definitely important in emotional situations, the main thing is for you to learn how to deal with the situation in your own way. Grief from the death of a family member, guilt, regret, career and financial woes, and familial problems are just some of the reasons for those dark places in your life. Waiting for someone to save you won’t work; you have to find a way of dealing with these trials and obstacles on your own.

Life is What You Make It is one such way of finding your own self and your own way of dealing with any trial or trouble that perils you in life. Go on a journey of healing and self discovery with budding author Carl Mathis as his book chronicles some of the most difficult situations he has had to go through in his life and the lessons he picked up along the way. Though every experience is unique, Mathis makes it easy for you, the reader, to see how tragedy can turn your life around for the better; in this case, the death of his wife, a sudden responsibility of three children, financial strain, and so much more. In a situation like this, it’s easy to lose your sense of self. However, you must also believe that you cannot stay in such a rut forever, and putting your life back together is something that you must want and you must initiate.

Deena Marie Beresford, the Director of Library Service, Academic Institution says of the book: “Life Is What You Make It teaches life lessons and would be a great read for people of all ages who are seeking inspiration and motivation. Carl speaks with a voice of experience.”

This book brings hope and inspiration to those who seem to have run out of it. Find yourself again in the pages of this little guide.

Motivation Speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of Life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward.
fro more info go to http://www.carlmathis.com

Know how to handle any situation

2010-11-19T20:00:00.000-08:00

Realize that you are not the only one with unfortunate situations and circumstances. In most cases, your situation may be small compared to others. Everyone has some kind of challenge in their life. Everybody is busy with their own life. So you too need to come to the conclusion that it’s all up to you and only you. You have the ability inside of you that can enable you to achieve anything you want or need; all you have to do is use that ability.

For too long you have neglected to do so. Maybe you were ignorant in your thinking. That means you just don’t know, but help is here right now. I want you to overcome your struggles so you can achieve your God-ordained greatness.

Here is how this works.

A thought is a seed that is planted into your mind. Just like anything that is planted, it needs food, or fertilizer to grow. Concerning the mind, the fertilizer allows that thought to linger and fester in your mind. It simply continues to grow. So if the thought is a negative one, it will grow into something that is negative.

You don’t want that to happen.

Therefore, always choose to do something different, but positive; something unusual, but productive for you. Be aggressive in growing your brain and its ability to think increasingly better thoughts that will result in increasingly better choices. Make it a habit to constantly challenge your habits.

Everything begins with a thought, and the desire of wanting to do something brings that thought into play. In other words, if you want to do something very badly, eventually you will find some way to bring it into reality.

Through that desire, action then takes over and makes that thought come into reality. However, in the end, the only thing that counts is action, because action is what makes everything a reality. You can’t achieve anything without any action in your life. Faith without works is dead and any desire requires an action.

You need to know that achievement is the result of your own capability. If you want to resolve any situation, you must act accordingly. However, if you do nothing and wait, thinking someone will come and give you a hand out, chances are they will not come; as a result, you will be left all alone, wondering what happened.

You are not bound by or to your thoughts or your way of thinking. In fact, the choice that you make is the critical element in how and what you will think in the future and what choices will be readily available to you. Choose as you will and it is inevitable that you will become the person you really want to be, living the life you really want to live.

Your thoughts turn into words, so watch your thoughts. They most certainly become your words.

Reality says that there are positives and negatives in all situations. Disappointments, setbacks, losses, and even winnings are all part of life. Accepting the situation and moving forward generates from your thoughts. So be careful of what you say.

Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of "life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward.
Available at Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.

For more info go to http://www.carlmathis.com

Healing for the soul

2010-11-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

Being able to control or avoid the things that come up in an unknown form, such as an unexpected tragedy or some form of discomfort in your life, is a challenge in itself. Predicting what will happen to you in the future is a job for only God, although we make many attempts claiming that we know what tomorrow brings. Reality is that we have no control over what happens.

For too long, many have repeatedly asked themselves this question: How did I allow this situation to enter my secret circle of life? There was a time when they could recognize and deal with a situation before it occurred, but this one sneaked in under their radar right before their very eyes. Now they are faced with having to deal with this situation. However, there is a solution.

The way life operates can sometimes confuse the human mind. We find ourselves sometimes doing things we know will lead into something that is not so beneficial for our life. However, the interesting issue is that our brain is limited. Why?

"Life is what you make it- seven steps to moving forward"
Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of life is what you make it, available at Amazon and wherever books are sold.
Carl website http://www.carlmathisc.om

COMMITMENT

2010-11-09T11:15:00.000-08:00

Now let’s face the truth, we all have some kind of insight and bright ideas. But out of the many number of inspirational moments we’ve had and already acted upon, how many of them have we pursued to the end and say we have completed our commitment? How many of them have we realized that ideas are just like seeds?

Locked within them is great potential. Yet, what good are seeds unless we plough, and fertilize the soil, and follow that by planting, watering, and looking after the seeds until they bloom into something fruitful?

Great ideas often lead to good starts and bright beginnings. But good starts are not good enough, for brilliant ideas are no better than poor ones, unless we follow through. Without a committed plan, it’s just and idea. It’s just like faith.

According to James, 2:14 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?”

You could have all the ideas and insight in the world, but if you don’t commit to acting out with a firm plan in action, you simple have a thought. We have many thoughts on a daily bases, but that’s the beginning stage. Make a commitment.

Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of "life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward

For more info go to http://www.carlmathis.com

HOW TO OVERCOME.

2010-10-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

Being able to control or avoid the things that come up in an unknown form, such as an unexpected tragedy or some form of discomfort in your life, is a challenge in itself. Predicting what will happen to you in the future is a job for only God, although we make many attempts claiming that we know what tomorrow brings. Reality is that we have no control over what happens.

For too long, many have repeatedly asked themselves this question: How did I allow this situation to enter my secret circle of life? There was a time when they could recognize and deal with a situation before it occurred, but this one sneaked in under their radar right before their very eyes. Now they are faced with having to deal with this situation. However, there is a solution

Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis
Author of "life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward"
Available at amazon and wherever books are sold.

Go to http://www.carlmathis.com for more info

Learn how to put your life back together

2010-10-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

It’s not often that many find life after death. But through the loss of his wife, Carl Mathis found the inspiration and the dedication to not only raise three successful sons, but to turn his turmoil into triumph for himself and those around him. While waiting on someone to come to his rescue—of hurt, depression and pain—he realized that the only person who could rescue him… was himself.

Life Is What You Make It is a heart-wrenching story of one man’s journey to glue his life back together after it had been broken into a thousand pieces. At a time when Mathis could have made excuses for his struggles and shortcomings, he chose to use them as stepping stones to get back on the mountaintop. This book will bring your personal fears and failures to the forefront, make you accept responsibility, and condition your mind to make the right decisions moving forward. In this life, you define the norm! Let the next chapter of your life be one of purpose, prosperity and fulfillment. Your life is what you make it, so create your own definition!

“Life Is What You Make It teaches life lessons and would be
a great read for people of all ages who are seeking inspiration
and motivation. Carl speaks with a voice of experience.”
—Deena Marie Beresford,
Director of Library Service, Academic Institution

"life is what you make it - seven steps to moving forward
GET YOUR COPY TODAY AT AMAZON.COM and wherever books are sold.!

For more info got to http://www.carlmathis.com

Accepting the situation

2010-10-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

If life dealt you an unexpected situation, you should accept it and use it to your advantage. Do not let the situation be your down fall for life. First you need to realize a few things: Your situation may be small compare to others. Everyone has some kind of situation in their life. Everybody is busy with their own life. So you too need to come to the conclusion that no one is coming.

However, you have the ability inside of you that can enable you to achieve anything you want or need; all you have to do is use that ability. For years I neglected to do
so. I was ignorant in my thinking. The truth is everything begins with a thought, and the desire of wanting to do something brings that thought into play. Through that desire, action takes over and makes that thought come into reality. However, in the end, the only thing that counts is action because it’s what makes everything comes into reality.

Available at amazon and wherever books are sold
Motivation speaker/author Carl Mathis http://www.carlmathis.com